New York City College of Technology The City University of New York Department of Communication Design 2330 Digital Photography Course Description This course will explore the foundational concepts of light and exposure in photography. The student will develop framing and compositional skills as well as an understanding of the unique formal properties of photography. Students will become acquainted with a wide range of contemporary photographers and gain an understanding of how photographic style can transform subject matter. Using professional lighting equipment, cameras and software, the student will gain hands-on experience capturing, processing, and printing digital images. 2 cl hr, 2 lab hrs, 2 cr Prerequisites 1162 Raster & Vector Graphics OR MTEC1001 OR IMT1100 Course Objectives INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES Use professional vocabulary to discuss technical and aesthetic issues in photography. Frame and compose photographs in ways that transform ordinary subjects into visually arresting images. Manipulate shutter speed and aperture for creative effect. Use professional vocabulary to discuss technical and aesthetic issues in photography and lighting. Analyze both the aesthetic value and the technical competency of one s own work, the work of one s peers, and the work of professional photographers. ASSESSMENT Students will demonstrate competency in homework and in-class writing assignments. Students will demonstrate competency in applying principles of composition in hands-on photography assignments. Students will demonstrate competency in applying principles of exposure in hands-on photography assignments. Students will demonstrate competency using technical and aesthetic in discussions and research projects. Students will display competency through in-class discussions, written compare and contrast exercises and writing an exhibit review. Develop the skills necessary for collaborative team Students will display competency through in-class Page 1
work. Operate compact digital cameras, dslrs, tripods, light meters, strobe lights and continuous lights. Demonstrate proficiency in digital darkroom techniques and the color correction workflow including optimizing global and local tonal range, removing color casts, increasing contrast, and sharpening. Prepare a basic photography portfolio. team projects. Students will display competency through two quizzes on textbook reading covering these topics and in-class hands-on exercises. Students will display competency in using in digital darkroom techniques and the color correction workflow in the creation of final prints. Students will demonstrate competency in assembling a group of final photographs. General Education Outcomes General Education Outcome covered: Thinking Critically The student will demonstrate the ability to evaluate strengths and relevance of arguments on a particular issue. Social Interaction The student will demonstrate the ability to work in teams, including people from a variety of backgrounds, and build consensus. Lifelong Learning The student will demonstrate an understanding of the important relationships between the student s major and other academic disciplines, world events or life goals. Thinking Critically The student will demonstrate the ability to evaluate strengths and relevance of arguments on a particular issue. How the outcome is assessed: Evaluate through class critique to determine how well students were able to advance their project concepts through creative, critical and technical decisions. Evaluate the collaboration and integration of the team with a rubric for creative and critical team performance and project outcomes. Evaluate through class discussion and written tests if students have developed a sensitivity and awareness of professional ethics. Evaluate through class critique to determine how well students were able to advance their project concepts through creative, critical and technical decisions. Teaching/Learning Method Discussion and readings Hands-on Photo Shoots Editing, Color Correcting and Printing Photos Photo Gallery Visits Peer-to-peer review Self-reflective learning log Page 2
Required Text London, Stone, Upton. (2008.) Photography: The Essential Way. Pearson. Required Equipment Each student will need access to a camera to complete his or her assignments. It is strongly recommended that this camera allow manual control over exposure. Attendance (College) and Lateness (Department) Policies: A class roster roll will be taken at the beginning of each class. Only two absences may be allowed. After two absences, a student may be withdrawn because of unsatisfactory attendance (code WU). Students arriving after the roll is taken will be marked late. Students may be notified at the earliest opportunity in class after they have been absent or late. After being absent two times or equivalent (2 lateness = 1 absence), a student may be asked to withdraw from the class (code W before the College drop deadline) or may be withdrawn from the class (code WU). Academic Integrity Standards You are responsible for reading, understanding and abiding by the NYC College of Technology Student Handbook, Student Rights & Responsibilities, section Academic Integrity Standards. Academic dishonesty of any type, including cheating and plagiarism is unacceptable. "Cheating" is misrepresenting another student's efforts/work as your own. "Plagiarism" is the representation of another person's work, words or concepts as your own. Grading Quizzes 10% Class participation 10% Exhibit Review 10% Shooting assignments 30% Midterm Portfolio 20% Final Portfolio 20% Topics WEEK Lecture Topic Laboratory Exercise Reading Assignment: (Homework topic. Assignments determined by individual instructors.) 1 Course Overview, The Grammar of Photography: foreground/background relationship, angle of view, composition including the rule of thirds, emphasis and Lab: describing and interpreting photographs Chapter 14, Seeing Photographs 3 paragraph description of a photograph Page 3
balance, contrast of sharpness, contrast of light and dark 2 Camera Operation and Handling How the camera works, best practices, workflow 3 Shutter Speed and Capturing Motion Working with motion, freezing motion, motion blur 4 Aperture and Depth of Field Using shallow depth of field for subject isolation and story telling, Perspective vs. Depth of Field, How a Photograph Shows Depth 5 Exposure Challenges How the camera s meter works and when to override it 6 Digital Darkroom: Metadata and keywords, Evaluating a photograph for quality, Improving the impact of the image with cropping, tonal range and contrast adjustment, Lab: Zooming, Focusing, Auto Focus (AF) Points, ISO, Setting resolution, Shooting Modes: Program, Shutter and Aperture Priority, and Manual, Histograms, Deleting Images, file management, Camera Resolution, Image Resolution, File Formats: jpg, tiff, RAW, Lab: How a camera s light meter works, stops, when to use a tripod, camera shake, reciprocity, shutter priority, freezing motion, motion blur Lab: Aperture priority, depth of field factors: aperture, subject proximity, focal length, sensor size, Achieving Shallow Depth of Field with a Compact Digital Camera Lab: Exposure meters, Overriding auto exposure, Dark subjects on light backgrounds, Light subjects on dark backgrounds, backlighting, Exposing scenes with high contrast, High Dynamic range Lab: Camera RAW adjustments for all file types, reading the histogram, adjusting global and local tonal range and contrast, noise reduction, sharpening, Black and white conversion Chapter 1, Getting Started, Chapter 2, Camera Composition Exercises. Chapter 2, Camera, pp. 18-22, Chapter 4, pp. 66-81, pp. 212-13 Motion Studies Chapter 2, Camera, pp. 24-27, Chapter 3, Lens, 54-61 Shallow Depth of field Chapter 4, Exposure, Sensors, and Film Contrast of Light and Dark Chapter 8, Image Editing Begin Midterm Project Page 4
hue/saturation 7 Ink jet Printingtypes of photographic output including permanence, dyes vs. pigments, media, resolution, gamut and color profiles, soft proofing Lab: Midterm portfolio printing Chapter 9 Printing and Display Continue Midterm project 8 Quiz, Midterm Critique Exhibit Review 9 Lighting Direction and Quality, Lenses- Transforming the subject with light. Light direction: front, side, back. Qualities of light: intensity, contrast, spotlight vs. floodlight, lighting ratios, using distance and light size to control light intensity and contrast, Lens Focal Length: short, normal, long, Closeups with an extension tube. 10 Basic Portrait Lighting: Using a main and fill light in a classic portrait, Consider the power of pose and expression Lab: Artificial light, Introduction to studio lighting with strobes, using a flash meter, lighting ratios, spotlight vs floodlight, still life shoot Lab: Shoot portraits with varying poses: front, threequarter, profile, Lighting: Fill and Key, and background light for separation. Practice the photographer-talent relationship, broad and short lighting, reflectors Chapter 3, Lens, Chapter 11, Lighting, pp. 180-189 Lighting Direction Chapter 11, Lighting, pp. 189-197, pp. 204-206 Portraits 11 Portrait Lighting: High and Low Key Lab: shoot portraits with glamour lighting and with Creating mood and character side light with lighting in studio portraits. 12 Creative Expression with Light Painting with Light, Strobe Lights with Slow Shutter Lab: experiment with long exposures for creative effect Chapter 11, Lighting Begin Final Project Chapter 11, Lighting, pp. 200-203, p. 211, Review Continue Final Project Page 5
13 Digital Darkroomnon-destructive editing, local color correction 14 Quiz, Final Portfolio Support 15 Student presentations and class critique of final assignment. Lab: layer masks, layer blending modes, adjustments Lab: printing final projects Chapter 8, Image Editing Continue Final Project Continue Final Project Page 6